10 Picnic ideas that change your odd sandwhich into a delicious meal

Picnic in my garden!

I know, that most of my last posts are all about summer! And I cannot help it. I moved to the French countryside for the next 2 months, and the weather is really making me feel like it is the big holidays!

Smells, light, fruits and veggies from the garden, sounds of the crickets, everything brings me back in time and I feel like a kid. One of my favorite and most exciting summer activity was when we were going out for a picnic! My grand mum was an expert in finding some great and different food to enjoy with the fingers. One of my best choice was cold grilled chicken legs with chips. It was simple, good and nothing close to a sandwich. I think I kept from my mum and grand mum this creativity when it comes to picnic.

So I think it is nice to share with you some of my recipes in order you can find some inspiration for your next lunch out! All my recipes are quick and easy, can be prepared in advance, easily transportable and finger food.
It took me a while to select them, and it is not ended list, but this could a nice top 10:

Burgundy Meatloaf

1/ Meatloaf and Burgundy's style meatloaf: 

Here 2 recipes of 2 versions of meatloaf in case you want to choose!

Nothing easier and nicer to bring a meatloaf at your picnic. Boys will love it, and it always tastes better the day after. You can slice it in advance and just need to transport in closed box or as I am used to do, directly cook it in a disposable aluminium tin.

2/ Tapenade: this is just the perfect way to eat plenty of raw veggies in a fun way for your picnic. Prepare a full box of carrots and celery sticks, sherry tomatoes, radishes, endives, slices of bell pepper and cucumber,... any veggies you like and dip it in this delicious tapenade. Add some boiled eggs and you have perfectly balanced picnic, healthy, and so nice to share with everyone!

If you prefer another dip, why don't you check my post about 24 aperidips that can perfectly replace the tapenade?

Cheese Samosas

3/ Mexican beans salad: why don't you just prepare a big salad full of different ingredients and colors? Prepare a big bowl of this fresh and delicious Mexican style salad and everyone can even eat from the bowl, in a kind of Arabic style.

4/ Tortilla: a Spanish tortilla is one of the traditional dish Spaniards will bring everywhere for any occasion. So, it will happily go with your picnic. As it is a little bit more complicated to transport when it is done, I advise you to slice it in cubes and place in a box. A perfect tapa for a perfect finger food picnic!

5/ Savory cakes: A classic for the finger food eaters! You can choose and change the ingredients as much as you want and you have a satisfying lunch that can be completed with some fresh fruit.

Summer Pizza

6/ Summer pizza: this is one of my childhood favorite, that carries the sun already inside! Slice and pack in box for an easy transport and service!

7/ Cheese and mushrooms samosas: delicious and easy to bring everywhere, I really love this Moroccan recipe you can eat as a spring rolls with some lettuce leaves and fresh herbs you prepare beside.

8/ Special crispy lentils salad: legumes are just the perfect friend of your picnic. I personally love lentils, especially in a salad, full of colors and flavors. It is a full meal delicious and satisfying when you are hiking around.

9/ Quick and easy onigiri, the Japanese sandwich
My very good friend Misa, once again, introduced my to her traditional sandwich when she was a kid back in Japan. She showed me that you don't need to make beautiful small sushi's and can just make weird ball of rice and tuna wrapped in nori! And it is ok!... and delicious!

Ingredients 6 onigiri:
•    250 gr of Japanese rice (basmati, risotto or paella rice are also ok)
•    350 ml of water
•    4 tbsp. Of mirin or a mix of white wine vinegar with 1 tsp. of sugar
•    1 tbs. Of soja sauce
•    1 tbs. of red miso paste
•    2tbs. Of quark
•    1 tuna in water can (150 grs)
•    1 tsp. Of tahini
•    1 tsp. Of sesame
•    1rsp. Of mustard or wasabi
•    1tsp. Of lemon juice
•    Pepper
•    6 nori foils (available in Asian or Exotic grocery shops)

1/ Rinse the rice 3 or 4 times with cold water. Cook the rice with the water and the mirin during 10/12 minutes at low heat covered till the rice absorbed all the water. When the rice is cooked, let it cool.

2/ Prepare the stuffing. In a bowl, get together the quark, the miso paste, the tahini, the tuna, soy sauce, mustard or wasabi and the lemon juice. Mix properly. Add the sesame seeds and the pepper. Reserve.
3/ Spread a plastic film on a cutting board. Place a nori foil on top. Prepare a small bowl of lukewarm water on the side. Get your fingers damped and take a small bowl of rice. Place it in the middle of the nori foil. Make a kind of hole in the middle. Add a spoon of the tuna mixture. Get half bowl of rice and place it on top. Carefully, fold the nori foil with the plastic foil closing on the top the onigiri.

You can give the shape you want, I usually make a kind of weird bowl,… Your sandwich is ready and packed!

Spicy Beef Thai Salad by Stephi

10/ Spicy Beef Thai Salad: this is a very original salad to bring for a picnic, that will make everybody happy with its grilled steaks chunks! It is a little bit of travelling while you are travelling!

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